We have all wondered how we can help underprivileged kids get a good education, but how many times have we done anything about it? These members of Aditya Mega City’s Senior Citizens Club, however, have gone that extra mile to give 42 kids a chance at a proper eduation.

A couple of months back, you would’ve spotted them making their way to school, barefeet and in shabby uniforms, often a size too big or small from having been passed down from perhaps an older sibling. But now they have spanking new uniforms and shoes, with a sense of purpose in their stride, all thanks to the senior residents of Aditya Mega City in Indirapuram.

On their first visit to Nagar Nigam Balika High School, an unaided institution run by the Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation in Makanpur village, they were appalled to find how shabby it all was.

That was when they decided to pool in and pay for the education and uniforms of 20 meritorious students from the school. Soon, the members of the group — PK Agarwal, Pradeep Shah, IP Singhal, Pal Singh Sandhu, OP Gupta, SK Thakker, PN Malhotra, Gulshan Anand, CB Shrivastava, DS Bharatia, HK Mathur, AK Gupta, RC Soni, HM Singhal, RR Mittal, Jaidev Oberoi and RRS Mishra — were able to collect enough money to pay for 42 students.

Last month, the group managed to scrape up enough to provide tailor-made uniforms to 430 students. They also gave all students stationery items, water bottles and lunch boxes, along with blankets and staff requirements.

But that’s not all. The group is even planning to build two extra classrooms, as there are only five rooms for seven student batches. This will mean that the students won’t have to change school after Class X, as the school will be able to teach students upto Class XII. There are also plans of installing an RO water-purifying system in the school so the students and staff can have access to proper drinking water and not have to rely on the school’s hand pump.

Respect to each one of you in Aditya Mega City’s Senior Citizens Club. You inspire us.